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Re: Shobogenzo.....wow...

So, I just cracked into the first book of the Nishijima/Cross translation....

I just started reading that translation about a week ago.

what a ride

_/_

Seiryu

Seriously, nothing like getting the foundation of the practice and the 'drive' of the school from the founder himself. He makes some fallacious arguments in 'Bendowa' (arguments to authority, etc.), but they were probably par for the course in medieval Japan at the time.

Is Shobogenzo not recommended reading here? If it isn't, here's me recommending it!

Re: Shobogenzo.....wow...

Going to start on Bendowa this week (I hope). I think I'm going to read the Cross translation, as well as the standalone Okumura/Uchiyama/Leighton volume. Maybe I'll have enough money for the Tanahashi volumes after my birthday. If not, I'll be waiting until Christmas.

Re: Shobogenzo.....wow...

Glad you guys are opening your eyes to it. Yes Chet, I have been mumbling about it a chapter at a time for almost a year in vids( genjokoan, Koku, Baike...).
By the way, back safe and sound from Yakushima, a wonderful remote tropical island full of trees and rain and rocks.
Great spot!

I went through Bendowa, by the way, about two years ago in a series of "sit-a-long" talks ... all now faded away into space. However, that is one of the points of Bendowa.

Gassho, J

I'm sorry Jundo, I didn't mean to imply it wasn't recommended reading, just that for some reason I hadn't seen it - and because it's so...just wonderfully mind-blowing, I was saying to anyone reading - 'Read it!'.

(I almost have a daily sitting practice now, yesterday was the first day I missed in a while!)

I went through Bendowa, by the way, about two years ago in a series of "sit-a-long" talks ... all now faded away into space. However, that is one of the points of Bendowa.

Gassho, J

I'm sorry Jundo, I didn't mean to imply it wasn't recommended reading, just that for some reason I hadn't seen it - and because it's so...just wonderfully mind-blowing, I was saying to anyone reading - 'Read it!'.

(I almost have a daily sitting practice now, yesterday was the first day I missed in a while!)

Gassho,

Chet

There are days when Shobogenzo seems like it is the sanest, most down to earth thing I've ever read; there are also days (more of them) where it is like drinking from a firehose and I cannot make any logical sense of it. On those days I just finish reading the chapter and let the words wash over my brain much like one does with some kinds of poetry, and trust that the non-linear mind will digest it. Indeed, most of the time I think of shobogenzo as a huge collection of poetry; it sure reads that way. I assume that this is largely because of the way the japanese language works, but I'm not sure since I know zero japanese. Either way, I applaud your efforts to bite into this mammoth. I've only focused on a few chapters and reread them over and over.